2022, Volume 30, Paper 8
ISSN: 1833-5675

Re-examining Market Power in the Domestic Fresh Meat Market

Alastair Hilli  – School of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne, Parkville.
Garry Griffith  – School of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne, Parkville and Centre for Agribusiness, UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale.

Abstract

Since previous tests for market power in the Australian domestic fresh meat market more than a decade ago, a number of major changes have occurred which warrant another assessment. Firstly, there has been considerable structural change with concerns of market power arising from consolidation in the processing sector. Secondly, competition has increased in the primary sales channel for fresh meat with the addition of new retail entrants. Thirdly, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and other government bodies have continued to express their interest in agricultural competitiveness in the form of numerous reviews and legal proceedings. Using the New Empirical Industrial Organisation framework, this study re-assesses the question of whether there is any market power present in the domestic fresh beef, lamb and pork markets within Australia, using data covering the period 1970-2017. Overall, the study concludes that there is consistent evidence of market power in the fresh pork input market. However, there is no evidence of market power in either the input or output markets of beef and lamb, or the pork output market. Some areas for further research are suggested.

Key words: market power, meat industry, NEIO, monopsony, monopoly

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